Magnetically coupled toys



June 7, 1960 B. OREL 2,939,245

' MAGNETICALLY COUPLED TOYS Filed March 31, 1958 N INV EN TOR.

551/ mm g" M Q. 3.32:4

4 7 TOR/VEK Unit d S ates Patent MAGNETICALLY COUPLED TOYS Ben Orel, 733 N. La Brea, Hollywood 38, Calif.

Filed Mar. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 724,965

2 Claims. (c1. 46241) It is a further object to provide a magnetic coupling construction in which the coupled units can pass along a curve or around a corner without becoming uncoupled, and in which the units can be moved along an inclined surface or pass over a hill, bridge or the like without becoming uncoupled.

fastening members 34 and 35.

2,939,245 Patented June "7, 1960 The inner end of the arm 14 is rounded and is adapted to swivel or pivot within the cut-out area 13.

The outer end of the arm 14 is straight and carries a bar magnet 16, which is circular in cross section and which extends across the entire outer end of the arm 14. The magnet 16 may be mounted on the'end of the arm 14 by providing an arcuate recess in the end of the arm 14 in which the magnet 16 is-secured by adhesive or the like. The box car 11 is provided on the bottom thereof ad-, jacent its ends with a pair of cut-out areas 20 and 21 which correspond to the cut-out area 13. .A p'air of arms 22 and 23 are pivotally mounted thereinlby'a pair of fastening members 24 and 25. The outer end ofthe arm 22 carries a bar magnet 26, while the outer end of the arm 23 carries a piece of bar stock 27 which is magnetically responsive, but which is not magnetized. The tank car 12 is provided at the bottom thereof ad? jacent its ends with a pair of cut-out areas 30 and 31, which correspond to the cut-out area 13. A pair of arms 32 and 33 are pivotally mounted therein by a pair of The outer end of the arm 32 carries a bar magnet 36, while the outer end of the arm 33 carries a piece of bar stock 37 whichis magnetically responsive, but which is not magnetized.

The box car 11 and tank car 12 may also be provided 3 with magnetsat both ends instead of using the unmag- Another object of my invention is to provide a magnetic i 3 coupling construction in which economy of construction can be achieved by providing a plurality of coupling units, only some of which are magnetizedand the remainder of which are magnetically responsive,

It is also among the objects of my invention a magnetic coupling construction which will intrigue the fancy of a child and which will simultaneously assist in teaching the child the, principles of magnetism.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of my invention, it shouldbe understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a toy train constructed in accordance with my invention, with the cars coupled;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the second and third cars showing the movement when the cars turn.

The embodiment which has been selected to illustrate my invention comprises a toy train set, the units of which are coupled in accordance with the principles and construction of my invention. I

The toy train set comprises an engine 10, a box car 11 and a tank car 12. In practice, the train would utilize more cars, but their construction and method of coupling would merely duplicate those of the cars selected to illustrate my invention.

Each of the units is mounted on a plurality of wheels which are adapted to move along a track or along an untracked surface. The engine 10 is provided at the rear and bottom thereof with a semi-circular cut-out area 13. One end of a wide, flat coupling arm 14 is pivotally secured to the bottom of the engine 10 adjacent the inner end of the cut-out area 13 by a fastening member 15.

to provide netized bar stock at one end.

In use, the engine 10 can be coupled to thebox car 11 or the tank car 12 by merely moving the rear of the engine 10 into proximity with either end of the box car 11 or tank car 12. The magnet 16 on the end of the arm 14 will attract the magnet 26 or 36, if the magnets are oriented oppositely from each other. If not, the magnet 16 will always attract the bar stock 27 andg37. The magnetic attraction between these elements use 4 'them to be attracted toward eachother'an d wilfresult in their being immediately oriented so that their entire surfaces are in contact with each other.

As soon as the units are coupled, the movement of one, such as the engine 10, will cause the other, such as the box car 11, to follow immediately behind the engine 10, wherever it is moved. The swivel movement of the arms within the cut-out areas permits movement of the units around a curve without breaking the coupling between the units. It is also possible on a particularly sharp curve for the magnet 16 and its complementary element to become partially separated from each other at one end while the units pass around the curve, in which case they move back together by magnetic attraction as soon as the turn is completed. The cars can actually be disposed at substantially right angles to each other during turns without becoming uncoupled.

It is also possible for the units to move over an inclined surface, in which case the rounded surface of the magnet 16, for example, will move upwardly along the rounded surface of the complementary element to which it is coupled without breaking the attraction between them. If the engine 19 moves downwardly along the incline, then the magnet 16 will move downwardly along the rounded peripheral surface of the complementary element to which it is coupled.

While I have selected a toy train in order to illustrate the construction and operation of my invention, it should be understood that the same construction and method of operation is adaptable for use in connection with a large variety of toys. As a few examples, without limitation, one could construct tracks including switch tracks, airport and train station luggage carriers, barges, boat and tug combinations, truck and trailer combinations, airplane and airplane tow combinations, toy soldiers, safaris,

units are coupled together. V

I claim: 7

l A toy comprising a plurality of movable units disposed in sequential" relationship to each other, 'each .1o'f said unitshaving'a substantially'flat bottom, each ofsa'id having' ahorizontally extendingctit-out area in the bottom thereof, said cut-out area extending inwardly from; one end of said units, coupling means removably coupling the adjacent units to each other, said coupling means including a; wide, flat, coupling arm pivotally secured'at one end thereof within the cut-out area of each I of said units, the thickness of said coupling arm being -substantially equal to the depth of said cut-out area; the innerends of said coupling arms being free to pivot withing outwardly beyond the ends of said units, each of the outer ends of said coupling arms being substantially 7 straight and having ,a recess extending thereacross, said recessbeing arcuate inlcross section, anelongated metallic member transversely fix'ed on the outer end of each oflsaid coupling arms, eachof said metallic members havinga circular cross section and being mounted so that part ofits circumference is disposedwithin one of said recesses,

said metallic members extending across substantially the outer ends ofsaid arms, at least, one of the metallic memanimals and almost'anytype of toys inwhich two or more each other, the rounded peripheral surface of saidmetallic member being adapted to move along the rounded peripheral surface of said magnetized member to permit the movement of said units at a vertical angle with respect to each other without said units becoming uncoupled.

2. A toy comprising a plurality of movable units, coupling means removably coupling the adjacent units to each other, said coupling -means including at least one coupling arm carried by each of said units, one end of said coupling "am" being pivotally secured to said unit, the other. end. of. said"couplingt extending. outwardly from said unit, an elongated metallic member transversely fixed on said other end of said coupling arm, at least some of said metallic mernbersgbeing' magnetized and in'said 'cut out areas, the outer, ends of said arms extendhers of each of said units being magnetized and the other of said metallic members being magnetically responsive,

theends of said magnetized member forming oppositely magnetized poles,'th e entire length of one of-said metallic members being attracted into magnetic engagement with the entire length of one of said magnetized memhers, said, coupling arms being adapted to pivot 'with respect to the units to which they are attached upon the j V movement of said units at a horizontal angle with respect to, each other to resist the uncoupling of said units, at

,least one pole of said 'maguetized member remaining magnetically coupled to said metallic member during such movement even when the opposite end and major portions of saidmembers are out of physical contact with 'the other of said metallic members being magnetically responsive, the ends of said magnetized member forming oppositely magnetized poles, the entire length of one of said metallicmembersbeing attracted intom'agnetic engagement with the entir'e length of'one of said magnetized members, said couplingarms being adapted to pivot with respect to the units to which they are attached upon the movement of said units at a horizontal angle with respect to each other to resist the uncoupling'of said units, at least one pole of said magnetized member remaining magnetically coupled to said metallic member 2,461,088 Shortt Feb. 8, 1949 2,500,180 Hubbell Mar. 14,1950 

